


Take a Deep Breath

by Illume



Series: DE Art Fest [2]
Category: Detroit Evolution - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Detroit Evolution Artfest (Detroit: Become Human), Fluff, Good Friend Tina Chen, Inspired by Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, Post-Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, Spoilers for Octopunk Media's Detroit: Evolution Fan Film, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25077298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illume/pseuds/Illume
Summary: DE Art Fest Day 4: Proposal.Gavin just needs a couple of things to happen now.1. For everything to go perfect.2. To stop hyperventilating.
Relationships: Chris Miller & Gavin Reed, Tina Chen & Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: DE Art Fest [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816264
Comments: 6
Kudos: 97





	Take a Deep Breath

“You just have to take a deep breath,” her tone was teasing. “And then you say it. It’s not that hard.”

Well, that was just her making fun of him.

“Not that hard? Ti, I don’t think I’ve been this nervous in...ever,” his voice raises at the end. “I’ve been held at gunpoint and I was less scared than I am right now!”

Okay, maybe he was being dramatic.

This was just about the most important decision of his life until then, the biggest commitment he had ever taken besides adopting Asshole. No big deal.

“Ti, I think I’m gonna throw up.”

A laugh. Two laughs.

“Thank you, Chris.”

This call was supposed to be helpful. A quick reminder that he wasn’t going to lose his mind. Of course, he supposed it would still sound like a lie, no matter what. For however hard his friend tried (or not) to calm him down, Gavin wasn’t sure if anything they said would lift the awful cloud of doubt off him.

On the other end of the phone, the laughter was dying down.

“Listen, Gavin, dude. I know this is tough,” Chris’ voice was sincere, with no traces of mockery. “But if you, you of all people, feel like it’s the right time, then it probably is the right time.”

Gavin closed his eyes then, taking a deep breath.

He had felt it for the last three months. Three months of asking himself every variation of “are you sure?”. He then spent hours on end looking for reasons why it couldn’t happen. With Markus in office, plenty of changes had taken place, so he couldn’t exactly blame the legality of it. What about work? It would be a miracle if they were allowed to remain partners afterwards. But when he, nos suspiciously at all, asked Fowler about it, he just said: “Son, if there was anyone else who would last more than a week as your partner, you wouldn’t even be allowed now”. Well, fuck. Curse his charming personality and excellent disposition.

So he was left with nothing else to hang on to. No excuses other than the absolute terror he could still feel now.

“Gavin,” Tina’s voice had that firm but tender tone of hers. “Are you really afraid that Nines is going to say no?”

Worse. He was terrified of what would happen if he said yes.

“What exactly would change?” she continued. “You already love each other so much. You complement each other so perfectly”

He let out a sigh because, of course she’s right.

“You just have to stop thinking about all that fear you feel and remember why you decided to do this in the first place,” Chris finished.

And this is exactly why he called them.

He could do this. He wanted to do this.

Most of his doubts stemmed from the fact that he had never done anything like this, ever. But that was exactly why he knew he wanted to do it now.

He was sure.

“Yeah, you’re right,” may no one quote him on that. “Thank you...”

The sound of the front door distracted him from the surprised remarks of his friends.

“Hey, guys. I gotta go,” he rushed out.

He hung up the phone and almost tried to hide it, before realizing what a stupid idea that would be. Apparently, he was still nervous.

Tina said to take deep breaths. Just take deep breaths.

“Gavin?” the voice came from the living room.

Shit.

He exited the bedroom slowly. His hands began shaking so much that he had to stick them in his pockets; where, of course, his right fingers touched the small box there.

Fuck.

Just, don’t throw up.

As he entered the living room, Nines slowly came into view. He was wearing his usual jeans, but, this time, paired with a turtleneck sweater. He wouldn’t have been cold in his usual clothes, but he sure as hell liked to look good.

Then he reached his face, his eyebrows were raised and a fond smile was on his lips.

The shaking of his hands subsided. Tina and Christ were right, he was sure. It was going to be okay. Hell, more than okay.

“So, you’re telling me that you pushed an entire week for this vacation,” began Nines. “And talked about all the beautiful places here,” he continued as he walked closer. “Only to make plans for me to visit Ada, and for you to stay here, locked in the bedroom.”

Well, yeah. That had pretty much been the plan.

He needed time. He needed to not freak out as much in the moment. It had to be perfect.

The smile grew as they got closer to each other, and they joined in a kiss.

It was just a moment, Gavin couldn’t tell how long. A moment where he could see clearly that it was just right. Nothing involving them together could be scary, not as long as they had moments like this. It was already perfect for them.

They separated just a small distance, still holding each other.

“Okay, but what if I told you that we’re going to one of those botanical gardens I was talking about?”

A chuckle

Gavin was equal parts proud of having organized this and ashamed of just how damn cheesy it was.

They arrive to the place just as the sun is about to set.

It was so damn cheesy.

He had called ahead, of course, he didn’t want to go all the way there before making sure everything was going to go according to plan. After being told they would be closed by that time, he went through the painful ordeal of telling the lady on the other side of the phone what he was planning to do. After a few sniffles from her (thanks for that), the lady told him she would do her best. She called him the day before to confirm it was done.

They arrived to the gate and showed their IDs to the guard, who gave Gavin a smile and allowed them through. Thank God he only planned on doing this once.

Once inside, the realization came down once more. It was time.

They walked together for a while, sometimes in silence, sometimes Nines would mention what he had talked about with Ada.

Gavin couldn’t hear any of it.

Deep breaths.

They stop in front of an array of carnations, Nines leaning down to smell some of them.

Okay. Okay. Deep breath. Then, just...just do it.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Nines straightened up and locked eyes with him, a smile playing at his lips.

Fuck.

One more deep breath and Gavin finally stepped closer, opening his mouth as he closed his fingers around the box in his pocket…

“Gavin,” Nines voice interrupts him. “I-this is beautiful. This place is beautiful. I-I was so...nervous.”

What?

“I kept thinking that it was probably for the best for us to keep this as it is,” he continued, taking his hand. “I didn’t think it was fair to you. I thought it would be so selfish of me to not give you more time to change your mind...”

This had to be a joke.

“But then I realized, that it was just me; my fear. You have been my best friend, my partner, in more than one way,“ he let out a small sigh. “You have become such a permanent part of my life. You have become my family. And I love you so much. I really cannot think of any other way this should go.”

It was then that Gavin noticed that Nines’ LED was flashing yellow, he had no idea how long it had been doing that; and the android had reached a hand into his own pocket, fishing out a small black box. It was the same size as the one he was clutching, still out of view.

“Goddammit, Nines,” he could hear his voice crack because of the tears in his eyes. “You are unbelievable.”

He looked up at the android, managing to curve his lips in reassurance so he wouldn’t take that as a negative.

“I don’t think I understand.”

Of course he didn’t.

He laughed then, thinking back to just an hour ago and all the nerves he’d been trying to swallow for this exact moment.

“I’ve spent three months. Three months of panicking like an idiot,” he said as he began taking his own box out of his pocket. “Three months of thinking every horrible scenario. Even thinking you would say no at some point.”

He let the box sit on his palm, letting Nines see it, his eyes becoming wide at the sight.

“In all that time, I never thought I’d have you stealing my proposal right out of my mouth.”

Both of them opened their respective boxes.

At that point, neither of them should’ve been surprised at seeing that both rings were identical. Both of them a simple silver band, with bright blue going all around the inside.

He let out another laugh, his tears still flowing.

“Did you ask Tina for help too?”

Nines was also smiling, but there was more confusion in his eyes.

“No. I asked Connor.”

Well, that was just machiavellian from them.

Gavin smiles, locking eyes with his partner, swallowing and taking a smaller breath in.

“I know this is probably a mute point, but I still have to ask,” he said as he took the ring out of the box. “Nines, would you marry me?”

The android’s smile grew larger as he nodded.

“Yes,” he answered. “Now. Gavin Reed, would you marry me?”

Gavin laughed, still not able to stop crying.

He considered, only for a moment, saying no to tease his partner. But, no, he couldn’t do that now.

“Yes,” he said at last. “Of course I will, tin can.”

**Author's Note:**

> One of my favorite things ever is watching proposal videos where the people involved planned on proposing on the same day.  
> That was my entire thought process throughout this story.


End file.
